Sleep
by caressedbythorns
Summary: When Detective Heero Yuy agreed to help his best friend Duo Maxwell fix-up his newest acquisition, Monroe Manor it sounded Idyllic. Yet from the moment he takes one look at the old manor he felt uneasy. It might be the way the paint is peeling, it might be the creak of the old wood, or it might be ssomething neither Heero nor Duo are quite ready to face. 1x2 AU
1. Chapter 1

Sleep

Chapter 1/?

Summary: When Detective Heero Yuy agreed to help his best friend Duo Maxwell fix-up his newest acquisition, Monroe Manor it sounded Idyllic. Three months away from the hectic city, away from his Ex-fiancé Relena Peacecraft. Yet from the moment he takes one look at the old manor he felt uneasy. It might be the way the paint is peeling, it might be the creak of the old wood, or it might be something neither Heero nor Duo are quite ready to face.

Warnings: Violence, gore, emotional distress, and M/M sex.

Heero sighed as he stared up at the strange mansion before him. Monroe Manor was a monster of a building. It stood three stories high and had to be at least ten thousand square feet in size. The façade of the grand dam showed definite signs of ageing. The paint peeled exposing green tinted wood, the porch slanted awkwardly just to the right of the front step and one creaking shutter moved with the wind.

The air was damp with an oncoming storm, the sun hidden behind rapidly darkening clouds. A storm was rolling in from the east bringing with it the smell of salt water. He shivered in the warm summer breeze; the place gave him the creeps.

His best friend had purchased the old house a month ago in hopes of having a haven from the bustle of Boston. He had described it as "in need of some TLC" when he had asked for his help fixing the old place up. Heero thought it would be less expensive to knock the dilapidated old building down and start over.

The sound of crunching gravel announced the arrival of his apparently insane friend. Moments later a door slammed and he turned to glare at the bright red sports car.

"She's beautiful isn't she?" Heero growled and shook his head.

"You and I really need to go over vocabulary terms." He shot back turning to inspect the house again.

"Why?" He sighed wondering why he had ever agreed to this.

"Because this is neither beautiful or in need of a **little **TLC. This Duo," He waved his hand at the old manor. "is a death trap."

Heero twisted around to glare at his grinning friend.

"Oh come on 'ro you gotta admit it has a charm about it!" The over excited man exclaimed coming to throw one arm around his shoulders.

"I do not. It's the worst house I have ever seen and that is counting the shack we had to stay in on L2." He spit not really meaning it. That shack had been… growing things.

"No do not even go there Heero Yuy there is nowhere that bad, I don't think Hell is that bad." A noticeable shiver ran through the other man.

Heero shrugged but dropped the subject, Duo obviously loved this old place and once Duo decided to do something there was no talking him out of it.

He stepped cautiously onto the front steps, they were crumbling beneath his feet, their stone façade breaking away to show concrete beneath. He grabbed the rail testing for strength and almost fell into the overgrown shrubs as it gave way. Heero glared at the rusted out bottom, then turned his glare on his best friend who still stood on solid land.

"Uh well I guess the first thing on the to do list is fix the railing?" His smile widened.

Heero glared for a moment longer before turning and walking up the rest of the steps and on to the rather dilapidated porch.

The wood creaked in protest as he treaded across the expansive outer entry. He glanced at the rotting piece, stepping deftly around it and opened the large double doors that lead in to the interior.

Strangely they opened without a squeak, sliding as though they were oiled daily. He wondered at that, turning to look at Duo.

"Have you been working on this place already?" He asked softly. He hadn't thought anyone had been out here for quite sometime from the looks of things.

"Nah I bought it off the realtor after seeing the virtual tour. I haven't really been able to get away from work, why?" Duo looked concerned his violet eyes clouding in worry.

"No reason, I just expected the hinges to need oiling. I guess the realtor must have done it." He shrugged it off.

Stepping in to the house he took in the grandeur. It was a marvel. The floors were intricately designed marble stretching from the foyer to the grand main stairway and beyond. A crystal chandelier hung above the stairway shimmering in what little daylight flitted in between the heavy velvet curtains.

Duo pushed past him striding across the room and throwing open the first set of drapes.

"Come help me get these open 'ro I need to head to the basement to start up the electric but let's get some light in here for now." He called moving on to the next set.

Heero nodded although he didn't think Duo noticed and started opening the curtains on the other side of the house.

The front room was long running almost the length of the mansion and thin, he thought it couldn't more than twelve feet across. Paintings hung every few feet depicting lush landscapes and pretty homes. Heero stopped as he came to the last set of hangings and glanced at his hands, they were covered in dust from the think fabric. He sighed and wiped them on his jeans trying in vain to wipe away the black layer.

He looked out at the side yard it housed a large garage and what looked to be a riding pen. The grass was long and blowing in the wind of the oncoming storm, he squinted at the sky it looked like it was going to be a bad one.

"Hey you find something interesting?" Duo's voice made him jump slightly. He shook his head and turned to look at the braided man.

"Storms looking bad we should get the power on before it rolls in." Duo nodded, grabbing his braid and toying with it.

"Yeah I guess so, I'm gonna go down and get it on. Why don't you go check out the kitchen. I had some contractors in here to install a fridge and stove so there should be a place to put food." Heero nodded and grabbed the sack Duo held out to him. He glanced inside, a two liter, some chips and a frozen pizza stared back at him. He shook his head, he would have to go grocery shopping tomorrow. Trust Duo to plan for the now and forget tomorrow.

He walked slowly through the house trying to remember where the kitchen had been on the floor plan Duo had sent him the day before.

He wandered down the back hall glancing into several dark dank rooms. The house was surprisingly cold for the time of year and he found himself shivering.

Finally he made it to the kitchen at the back of the house, he pushed open the swinging door that separated it from the rest of the manor and stepped in.

Large bay windows let the waning sunlight in to the room. In one corner a large stainless steel fridge and range/oven duo sat looking ridiculously out of place among the clearly turn of the century details. Tall crown molding ran the room above white cracking intricately carved cupboards. The white marble counters were the same as the floors and shone in the dusky light.

He set the bag on the counter next to the fridge and opened it. Light poured from it brightening the room considerably. He smiled and put the soda in to cool. He opened the freezer, shoved the pizza in, closed the doors and walked over to the flick on the lights.

They flickered to life flooding the room with harsh unnatural light. He glanced up at the fixtures. They were surprisingly cheap for the opulence of the rest of the house.

The door creaked open, Heero turned and glanced at the bouncing figure.

"The power is oooonnnn!" Duo crooned jumping up and sitting on the island. He threw a green duffle at Heero, a blue one sat at his swinging feet.

"Yeah I figured that out." He smiled and shook the bag Duo had thrown at him. "Did you break in to my car?"

"Nah I lifted your keys when we were in the front hall." He laughed and Heero glared harshly at him. "Do you wanna go scope out some rooms to sleep in? I think the second floor should be fine to crash in. I know the third is a little rickety but there is nothing up there but an attic" He explained grabbing Hero's hand and tugging. Heero laughed and allowed his exuberant friend to lead him through the maze of hallways. Now that light shone in to the darkened nooks and on the thick cobwebs the house looked much less intimidating.

"How did you even afford this place?" Heero wondered running one hand along the intricate banister as they ascended to the second floor.

"Mostly used the proceeds from my writing, It helped that this place came cheap." He explained. Heero raised one eyebrow. He knew his partner had a pretty decent career as an author but he had no idea it was this lucrative.

"Why the hell are you still on the force if you can afford this kind of summer house?" He asked stalling at the top of the stairs to look out over the expansive entry.

"Same reason as you Mr. Silver Spoon, I want something to do with my life other than sitting around on my ass." Heero nodded wincing at his friends tone. He should have left well enough alone he hated it when Duo brought up his inheritance.

They moved towards a long, brightly lit hallway that led off the foyer of the second floor. Beautifully carved doors hit what he assumed to be bedrooms.

Duo paused suddenly, almost sending Heero crashing into his back.

"Why did you and Miss. Princess break it off?" He asked suddenly throwing Heero for a loop.

It had been more than a month since he had left his fiancée Relena Peacecraft. In all that time Duo hadn't mentioned it, not once.

"She's a bitch." He grumbled looking at his feet. "And she wanted my fucking money okay? Her family isn't quite as rich as everyone thinks. I'm pretty sure they are living on credit." He explained refusing to look at his friend.

He glanced at the door they had stopped in front of.

"Let's check in here." He decided grabbing the handle and pushing hard.

Nothing happened.

Heero stared at the annoyingly closed door.

"Did they give you keys for the upstairs?" He asked kicking the offending object.

"Uh no… Heero that knob doesn't even have a key hole on it, are you sure it's not just stuck?" He glared at his grinning partner.

"It's not just stuck Maxwell." He stepped aside motioning to the door. "But please be my guest."

He watched as his cocky friend took hold of the handle, turned it and shoved his shoulder in to the door with so much force it cracked.

"Fuck!" The braided man exclaimed stumbling back and rubbing his shoulder irritably. "Son of a bitch Yuy you weren't kidding!" He groused hopping as he glared at the door.

"Yeah I know. Come one let's just go find another room to bunk in, we can stash this crap and make dinner."

Heero nodded, they walked in companionable silence until they got to the last room. Duo pushed the door it creaked but sung inwards, opening in to a large furnished bedroom.

"Why is this place furnished?" He asked glaring at the dusty white sheets covering everything.

"Dunno I guess the last residents left it." Duo shrugged, walking to the bed and pulling the sheet off it. Beneath the while cotton was a beautiful blue comforter and mounds of pillows. "Well hello this it defiantly where I'm sleeping!" The braided man exclaimed throwing himself on to the bed.

"That is disgusting." Heero bit out trying not to think about what could be living in the mattress.

"Oh come on 'ro it's just for the night, the new beds and sheets come tomorrow with the rest of the stuff I ordered."

Heero sighed and nodded. "Fine I'll go find a room then." He groused opening the door and walking across the hall. The opposite door opened in to a bed room much like the other. He pulled the sheets from the furniture, beneath were dark woods and shades of green that would be soothing in any other situation.

"This is so sick." He grumbled, throwing his duffle on to the bed and turning to walk from the room.

Something moved in the corner of the room. Heero turned glimpsing what looked to be a human before it was gone. His eyes went wide, he moved slowly towards the door he supposed led to a closet.

"Whoever the fuck is in there, you better get out here." He called wrenching the door open. He was met with clothing and neatly arranged shoes. He pushed them aside searching through the rather large closet. No one was in the little room, Heero felt around for several minutes looking for a trap door or secret passage.

Finally he gave up deciding it must have been a trick of the light. He stepped out of the closet noting the strangeness of it being full before closing the door. He stalked across the room and in to the hall. Duo was waiting for him when he emerged smile plastered on his face.

"There are still cloths in the closet in there Duo, who the hell owned this place last?" He asked, wiping the smile from his friends face.

"I don't know. Are there really cloths in there? There weren't any in mine and that is really weird."

Heero nodded moving to one side as Duo pushed past him and in to his room. He followed closely watching as Duo wrenched open the closet door.

Nothing.

There was nothing in the closet, it was absolutely positively empty. Heero balked remembering the way the fine fabrics had felt against his skin and he musty smell of old clothing.

"Haha 'ro good one. Fuck you had me kinda freaked out." Duo laughed throwing an arm around Heero for a moment before retreating from the room. "You stay here and stare at the emptiness for a while, I'm gonna go start dinner!" He called closing the door behind him.

Heero stared unblinkingly at the empty closet running what he had seen over and over again in his mind.

"Fuck Yuy you have been working too much." He muttered shaking his head, flicking the light off and turning to go meet Duo in the kitchen.

Behind him a pair of soulful green eyes stared from the recesses of the now darkened room.

End Chapter One

A/N Guh yet another WIP but this one should be rather short so I decided to start it Bleh. I kinda like it I love writing gore so I think it will end uo being one of my favorite stories I've written.

So remember to feed the author.!

CBT


	2. Chapter 2

Sleep

Chapter 2/?

Summary: When Detective Heero Yuy agreed to help his best friend Duo Maxwell fix-up his newest acquisition, Monroe Manor it sounded Idyllic. Three months away from the hectic city, away from his Ex-fiancé Relena Peacecraft. Yet from the moment he takes one look at the old manor he felt uneasy. It might be the way the paint is peeling, it might be the creak of the old wood, or it might be something neither Heero nor Duo are quite ready to face.

Warnings: Violence, gore, emotional distress, AU and M/M sex.

Heero watched as Duo used his cell phone to call the nearest Chinese place. The remnants of what was supposed to be dinner smoked from the garbage can.

"You know they should tell you to take the plastic off the pizza." Duo grumbled leaning over the can to glare at the offending food.

"They do, it's the second instruction." Heero replied smiling as his friends glower was turned on him.

"Shut up Yuy, you job is to sit there and look pretty." Hero raised one elegant eyebrow.

"Is that so?" He asked softly. "Well I'll remember that when it's time to work tomorrow.

Duo sputtered waving his arms in defeat.

"Aww come on man! I didn't mean it like that! Okay I give up, I capitulate, you are the master of pizza instructions. All opinions rightly belong to you! Please don't make me clean this place up alone!"

Heero shook his head at his friend's melodrama. "I find you lack of spine concerning." He responded leaning back on to the counter. "I might help you." He conceded smiling wider at the look of relief plastered over the braided mans face. "If I get your egg roll."

"Aww come one man! I ordered you one too!" Duo fell to his knees in the middle of the kitchen eyes wide in terror.

"Those are my terms. Take them or leave them." Heero replied crossing his arms and smirking. Duo's cheeks flushed, his eyes widened in mock anger.

Heero knew his friend too well, he was loving this. Duo thrived on conflict.

"Fine you bastard you can have my egg roll." The braided man smiled slyly. "I ordered three anyway."

Heero laughed as his impish partner bounced from the room. "I'm gonna go grab the silverware from your pack!" He called as his braid disappeared from the door way.

Heero shook his head wondering if the other man would ever learn to stay out of his things.

Duo returned moments later triumphantly waving two sets of silverware. "You brought some for me too!" He exclaimed hugging Heero fiercely.

"I've learned if I don't bring you your own you steal mine." Heero replied smirking at his exuberant friend.

The smile that spilt his friends face made him wonder why head had agreed to stay with him for three months. "But you love me!"

A high pitched ring sounded from the front of the house. Heero glanced at his friend. "Are we expecting anyone?" He asked glancing at the clock. It had only been ten minutes since they ordered dinner, there was no way it was here yet.

"Uh, I don't think so." His eyes met violet ones for along moment. A bell tolled again. "That isn't the doorbell." Duo whispered.

Heero shivered. "Of course it's the doorbell." He growled stalking from the room. He was going to go answer the damn door before someone fell through that porch. He sighed as hesitant footfalls echoed behind him. He wasn't sure what his partner was playing at but it was annoying as hell this old house was creepy but Duo seemed really frightened.

He shrugged it off. His partner had always had a rather overzealous imagination and the old place had already played tricks on his own mind. It would make sense that Duo would be affected as well.

Rain was pelting the windows by the time he made it to the front of the house. It was barley five but it looked dark as midnight. Heero wondered if their guest had given up and gone back to where ever they came from.

He wrenched open the door, glancing around the expansive porch. No one was in sight. He stepped out on to the ominously creaking wood and walked a bit farther towards the railing. There were no extra cars either. He took one more, long look around before walking back in to the house and closing the large doors. He bolted the dead bolt just in case.

He sighed and turned to look at his best friend. The other man stood shifting from one foot to the other near the entrance to the back hall.

"Stop being stupid Duo it was probably just some kids having fun scaring the new neighbor."

Duo glared harshly, a look he was unaccustomed to receiving from his partner.

"Who the fuck would do that in this weather Yuy?" He growled taking a page out of Heero's book and sending a death glare.

Heero sighed and walked towards his twitching partner. "Hey come on let's make some coffee or something, you did bring coffee yeah?"

Duo paused and for a moment Heero was afraid he would say no.

"Yeah it's in one of the cabinets I paid one of the contractors extra to stash some for us since I knew we would forget." He replied his grin back on his face.

Heero laughed and slung one arm around his friend as they walked back towards the kitchen.

Behind them a shadowy figure watched from the stairway.

GW

Heero smiled as Duo shoved Chinese food in to his mouth at speeds that seemed to defy the laws of physics.

He had missed this over the last few months. Working at The Agency was fulfilling. They helped keep the peace and made people's lives better. But all the constant moving around was starting to wear on him.

"I was thinking about starting up my own agency." Duo mumbled between chow mein.

Heero nodded wondering when his partner had decided this.

"I'm tired of the bureaucracy at The Agency and I think we could do some real good in the private sector." He mumbled out little bits of food flying to hit Heero in the face.

He grunted disgusted with his partners eating habits. He was more than a little intrigued by the idea of branching out. He had noticed more civilian arrests lately, he worried The Agency was using its power for political gain.

"We are their best agents 'ro. Think about it it's not like they could stop us. And I gotta tell you man I got lots of cash, way more than we would need." Heero leaned in staring at his partner as the other man sat his food on the counter. "We could run it out of this old place. There is more than enough room."

Heero nodded pondering the idea. It would be so nice to be able to decide where they went and why.

"How would we get contracts?" Heero asked picking at his kung pow chicken.

Duo rolled his eyes. "I told you we are the best. When people hear we've left they'll follow! We're legends, got an impossible job? Call Maxwell and Yuy!"

Heero laughed shaking his head. "Well okay… sure. If you think we can do it."

Duo beamed. "Yes 'ro I'll get Wuffers and Zechs to come too oh it will be so great!" Heero was caught off guard when he suddenly had his arms filled with a very hyper American.

He tensed for a moment before wrapping his arms around the larger man and squeezing.

"Yeah Duo. " He whispered. "Perfect."

GW

That night as Heero sat awake in his borrowed room. The mansion protested as the storm ravaged it. He glanced at the closet. In the dim light of his reading lap he could almost believe there was someone watching from the shadows.

"Fuck Yuy snap out of it." He grumbled sliding lower in to the surprisingly comfortable bed and reading the next chapter in Duo's latest novel.

His partner wrote romance novels, under a pseudonym. Roslyn Martin was very famous in the literary world. Heero was just glad no one at work knew Duo wrote chick lit, it was hard enough to get the guys to stop riding him about his rather eccentric hair style.

The floor boards squeaked outside of his room. He glared at the door. Duo was up and about again. He sighed deeply, the violet eyed man was such a night owl he wasn't sure how he could be so hyper in the mornings.

Another creak caught his attention. He glanced towards the mysterious closet again. The door stood open.

Heero jumped from his bed, gun trained on the open door.

He glared at it edging his way towards the shadowy opening. He pushed the door opened with the muzzle of his gun and stared at the empty closet.

"Fuck" he whispered, kicking the door in irritation. He slammed it shut and turned to look around the room. He noticed a large chest on the other side of the bed and strode over to it. He grabbed the handle and easily dragged it to lean against the disconcerting closet.

He glared for a moment daring the door to open. After a while he nodded and made his way back to his bed.

By the time he was settled under the borrowed coverlet he no longer felt any want to finish his book. He flipped the small light out and closed his eyes, falling in to a restless slumber.

GW

"You really scared him Marcie!" A woman's voice carried through Heero's room. Two ghostly figures stood staring at the sleeping man.

One, dressed as a turn of the century maid giggled waving her hand. "Oh it's not like I did anything mean. Besides soon they will be like us anyway. They are planning to stay and anyone who stays too long here ends up dead." She giggled again spinning around the room.

"Don't speak like that Marcie. It hasn't killed anyone in years." The other spirit bit out.

"You are no longer the Lady of this house Tara so do shut up. It's not everyday someone buys this place. You know it just hasn't gotten the chance lately. Ooo they are so handsome don't you think?" She crooned touching her ghostly hand to Heero's face.

He shivered in his sleep rolling away from the cold embrace.

The other spirit glared and turned her back to the disturbing scene. "I am a Lady Marcie, you would do well to remember that."

"Oh yes a Lady! Excuse me Miss. I hide in closets. I forget sometimes how above the rest of us you are." The previously jovial specter hissed. "Don't go getting attached to their lives **Lady Monroe** He won't let them live. He never does." The maid's spirit faded from the room leaving one green eyed woman dressed in a long satin gown kneeling next to Heero's bed.

"Oh Mr. Yuy please leave." She whispered turning her head away from him and disappearing in turn.

GW

Heero woke the next morning with a strange unwelcome feeling of foreboding. He glanced out his window and groaned as he was met with pouring rain.

"How the hell are we ever going to get anything done?" He wondered slipping out of bed and changing in to another pair of jeans and a clean blue t-shirt.

He grabbed his duffle bag and headed down the hall to the closest bathroom.

He met Duo on the way. The sleepy man looked quite a state his hair stuck out of his braid at odd angles and flew around his face.

"Good morning." Heero nodded to his partner.

"Morning 'ro I slept soooo well last night. I love this place!" Duo chirped a sleepy smiled breaking his face.

Heero cocked an eye brow in confusion. "I heard you up and walking well past two in the morning Duo. It's only seven how well could you have slept?" He asked staring at the rather happy braided man.

"Well I don't know what you heard but it sure wasn't me." The other man replied giving Heero an inquisitive look. "I was fast asleep by eleven. Why were you up so late?"

Heero frowned as he stopped outside of the bathroom allowing Duo to use it first.

He heard Duo pacing all night. He knew he had… May be they had a squatter? It would explain a lot of the strange things that were happening.

Duo brushed past him, hair plaited, teeth brushed smelling like body spray. "No shower?"

"Nah I'll shower tonight it takes too long to brush and dry my hair." He explained. "I'm gonna go to the market and grab some stuff for breakfast. Can you cook when I get back?" He turned his big puppy dog eyes on Heero.

The blue eyed man sighed. "Sure just get going I don't want to have to wait."

Heero shook his head in exasperation as he walked in to the bathroom and shut the door soundly.

He sighed as he looked at himself in the mirror. His eyes had dark circles beneath them and his hair was sticking up more than usual. He turned and started the shower letting the water warm as he brushed his teeth and carefully shaved his face.

Suddenly the reflection in the mirror was no longer his own. Large blue eyes stared back at him but they were too light and too feminine to be his. Dark brown locks were replaced with long auburn curls. His normally tanned skin faded to pale porcelain. The woman gazing back at him smiled. He jumped slicing himself with his razor and drawing copious amounts of blood.

The red sticky substance ran down his neck and into his hands dripping between his fingers to drop wetly to the sink.

He watched as the mirror fogged soon all he could see was the red of his own blood against the white of the mist.

He grabbed tissue and held it to his oozing cut. With his free hand he wiped the mirror; the face looking back at him was once again his own.

He shook his head wondering what on earth was going on. He pulled the tissue away from his neck and was glad to realize it was just a superficial wound. The bleeding had slowed considerably.

He waited a few more minutes for the blood to stop running, never tearing his eyes from his reflection.

He really needed to get some more sleep.

A/N: There we go chapter two, I am so glad you guys seem to like this one. I love hearing from you! I hope chapter two lives up to your expectations. I think I will make this my NaNoWriMo for this year so this is all I will be updating. I hope it will be complete by November 25th but we will see.

Love you guys!

CBT


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